CCPA’s Seth Klein to step down as BC Director

May 2, 2018

(Vancouver) After nearly 22 years of service with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the country’s foremost social justice research institute, Seth Klein has decided he will step down as BC Director at the end of the year.

Seth was hired to open the CCPA’s BC office in the fall of 1996. He was joined within a few months by Shannon Daub, now the CCPA-BC’s Associate Director. Since then, the CCPA-BC office has grown to 15 people, works with a network of over 60 research associates from across the province, and is supported by over 6,000 individuals.

The CCPA–BC is a high-profile source of progressive research and commentary on topics ranging from poverty, inequality and tax fairness to climate change and pipelines. Its work helps hold governments to account for their policy choices and demonstrates there are hopeful solutions to our most pressing challenges.

“I’ve been mulling over this decision for some time,” says Klein, “and I’ve come to realize that it’s time for me to move on. I feel tremendous pride in what we’ve built at the CCPA–BC and for the contributions we’ve made. I feel immense gratitude for the people I’ve been able to work with here, and I remain passionately committed to the CCPA and the importance of its work.”

“Seth has brought great vision and dedication to the CCPA-BC since its inception,” says Board Chair Mary Childs “He has guided the organization from its early days as a fledgling group of scholars to its current position at the centre of progressive discourse in British Columbia. Along that journey, the CCPA and its colleagues have been supported and encouraged by his strong leadership, tireless work and clear thought. He leaves a thriving organization with a robust team of thinkers to carry on the work and we wish him continued success as he moves on to new challenges.”

“I was 28 years old when I was hired to open the CCPA-BC office,” says Klein. “I just turned 50 and I think it’s time to let others lead and try my hand at something new. I leave the CCPA-BC in immensely talented hands. Our organization is full of highly competent, smart and committed people.”

Klein served for eight years as founding co-chair of the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition and is on the Advisory Committee of the Metro Vancouver Living Wage for Families campaign. He is an advisory board member of the Columbia Institute’s Centre for Civic Governance, and a co-founder and instructor with Next Up, a leadership training program for young people committed to social and environmental justice. His research at the CCPA has dealt primarily with welfare policy, poverty, inequality and economic security.

The CCPA-BC’s board of directors will decide on the organization’s leadership structure over the coming months. Klein will remain as Director until the end of 2018.